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Honors

Will and Ariel Durant received the following honors and awards during the lifetimes:

Co-Recipient Honors and Awards

Huntington Hartford Foundation Award for Literature, 1963. Given for The Age of Louis XIV, volume eight in the Story of Civilization series.

Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, 1968. Given for Rousseau and the Revolution, volume 10 in the Story of Civilization series.

California Literature Medal Award, 1971. Given for Interpretations of Life.

Establishment of the Will and Ariel Durant Chair for the Humanities at St. Peter's College, 1985. Funded by the New Jersey State Legislature.

West Hollywood branch of Los Angeles Public Library renamed "The Will and Ariel Durant Branch Library" in 1988.

Will Durant Honors and Awards

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1930. Syracuse University.

Commonwealth Club of California Silver Medal Literature Award, 1945. Given for Caesar and Christ.

Inducted as Academy Member, 1959. National Institute of Arts and Letters.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1968. Long Island University.

Doctor of Laws, 1974. University of Southern California.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1975. Pepperdine University.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1979. St. Peter's College.

Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1977.

 

Ariel Durant Honors and Awards

Women of the Year Award, 1965. Los Angeles Times.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1968. Long Island University.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1970. Ripon College.

International Award, 1970. Association for Women's Active Return to Education (AWARE).

Doctor of Laws, 1974. University of Southern California.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1975. Pepperdine University.

Doctor of Humane Letters, 1979. St. Peter's College.

Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1977.